Operation: SEEKOUT
by Hikari-sama
Summary: [3x4] Numbuh 3 has been granted special permission for a oneweek vacation. When Numbuh 4 finds out about this, he sneaks out at night to find out why. But his findings don't seem to please him at all...
1. Numbuh Three?

Disclaimer: I don't own _Codename: Kids Next Door_ or any of its mentioned characters.  
Author's Note: I hope you like it. It's my first KND fanfic. Please read and review!

* * *

**Operation: S.E.E.K.O.U.T.**  
**S**eeing  
**E**iji  
**E**nables  
**K**nowledge  
**O**f  
**U**ncongenial  
**T**rauma

* * *

Abigail Lincoln looked up from her breakfast when she felt the table slightly shake. She noticed Wallabee Beatles, or Numbuh Four, sitting down on the table, his eyes looking not so "in good shape." His blond hair was completely messed up, and his wrinkled pajamas were so... well, let's just say they didn't look like pajamas anymore.

"Numbuh Four, what's that under your eyes?" Hoagie asked.

Abby nodded and gave Wally a small smirk. "Sorry, Numbuh Four. There's just something I gotta say to ya... NAS-TY!"

Both Abby and Hoagie began laughing uncontrollably.

"Ah, shut up," Wally said in his Australian accent. "I had a bad dream."

"With that hair, who _wouldn't_ have a bad dream?" Hoagie remarked, and he and Abby burst into laughter once again.

Wally shot both of them a glare, and began to reach for the open box of cereal, when Nigel Uno, or Numbuh One, came in. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Wally sitting on the table.

"Uh... Numbuh Four, is that you?" Nigel asked, a bit nervously. Abby held onto Hoagie's shoulder, trying to contain herself from laughter.

"Yes... it's me, Numbuh One," Wally said as if he had nothing else to say. "Couldn't sleep so well last night."

"Well, if you don't mind, Numbuh Four, I suggest you use a hairbrush," Nigel commented, showing a grin on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Wally shoved a spoonful of cereal and milk into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly. He was feeling pretty lame that morning, but hopefully he could get some _real_ sleep by tomorrow.

He tried to recall the images he had seen from that dream last night, but all he could remember was some screaming... shadowy figures... a black hole...

_Why isn't anyone talking?_, Wally wondered as he chewed on his fifth spoonful of cereal. Usually Kuki would start talking about a new Rainbow Monkey or her sister or something stupid like that. He assumed everybody was probably too busy laughing about his hair or his eyes or something.

Suddenly he started to miss Numbuh Three's voice at the table, striking up an endless conversation, giggling in her every word. So why was she being so quiet this morning? He couldn't take it anymore.

"Numbuh Three, why aren't you talking?!" Wally shouted (not really meaning to.) He stood up, looking around the table, and unexpectedly realized that Kuki wasn't even there.

No Kuki? No way!

"Numbuh Three?" he repeated.

Nigel raised an eyebrow at Wally. "Uh, Numbuh Four, please sit down."

"I thought he already knew," Abby told Nigel. Wally sat back down in annoyance.

Nigel shook his head. "I was going to tell him last night, but he was about to kick me when I went into his room."

"Tell me _what_?" Numbuh Four wanted to know, still annoyed.

Nigel sighed. "Numbuh Three's great uncle came to town, so I have granted her a week-long vacation."

"But-but...," Wally started to protest.

"Don't worry, Numbuh Four, we have a replacement for her," Nigel continued, pointing to a wooden chair. On top of it sat a cute little creature, waving its little paw at Numbuh Four.

"Oh, great," Wally said sarcastically, "A stupid hamster."

"Chichi is a trained hamster," Hoagie told Wally, "Numbuh Three wanted her in the team while she was gone."

"Fine," Numbuh Four gave up. He looked back down at his cereal. Normally, he would have probably been happy that Kuki had left, but then why had he suddenly lost his appetite?

"I'm going to my room," Wally told the rest of the team, in a bored manner.

"Hope you win the catfight against your hair," Abby added, giving him a thumbs-up. Wally ignored her and gave a slight groan.

Numbuh Four walked into his room, wondering why Numbuh Three had to leave without letting him know. What was so important about the arrival of her great uncle? Did he like Rainbow Monkeys too or something? What did her great uncle have that the Kids Next Door didn't? It just didn't seem right.

But what if her great uncle was an enemy in disguise? What if he told Kuki to temporarily leave the Kids Next Door so that he had his chance to destroy the weakest of the Kids Next Door? _She wouldn't be able to handle such a thing_, thought Numbuh Four.

He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, balling his hands into fists. "I've got to save Numbuh Three."

* * *

**transmission interrupted/ **


	2. Aw, Crud!

Disclaimer: I don't own _Codename: Kids Next Door_ or any of its mentioned characters.  
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I know this chapter's pretty short, but the next chapter will be a lot longer, I promise. Keep on reading and review once again please!

* * *

**Operation: S.E.E.K.O.U.T.**  
**S**eeing  
**E**iji  
**E**nables  
**K**nowledge  
**O**f  
**U**ncongenial  
**T**rauma

* * *

"I'm _telling_ you, Numbuh Five! Numbuh Three wouldn't leave us just because her cruddy uncle came to town! It has to be an arch foe tricking her into it! We've got to save her!"

Abigail kept walking up front, ignoring Numbuh Four's weird theories. She understood that he missed Kuki a lot, but sometimes they just had to let her go. It wasn't like they were getting decommissioned or anything. And besides, it was just one lousy week.

"Numbuh Four, she just needs to spend some time with her great uncle," Hoagie explained, following behind Abby, "that's all."

"All right, team," Nigel Uno stated, once Numbuhs Two, Four, and Five stepped into the assembly room. Soon after, Temporary Numbuh Three (a.k.a. the stupid cruddy hamster) came speeding in.

"Now that we're all here, I'll tell you why I've asked all of you in," Nigel said. "It's about Numbuh Three. She--"

"Ha! I knew it!" Wally interrupted, jumping up, "I told you! I told you! Who's the stupid one now?!"

"Numbuh Four, please sit down. I haven't finished yet," Nigel told him. Wally sat down, making faces at Hoagie and Abby.

"Actually, Numbuh Three's great uncle took her shopping in the morning, so she delivered these for us," Nigel finished, placing five boxes of candy in front of him.

Abby's eyes widened at the boxes of sweets, licking her lips in hunger. "Boy, Numbuh Three sure has a GREAT uncle!"

Hoagie chuckled.

"Wait," Wally stopped Abby from putting her hands on one of the boxes, "Has Numbuh Three tried these yet? What if they're poisoned? What if her great uncle tricked her into sending these? What if the Delightful Children from Down the Lane were the ones who really sent these? What if--"

"Numbuh Five has an idea," Abby suggested, hoping Wally would finally shut up, "How about we let Chichi try the candy first? And then we'll see if there's anything awkward in it."

"That's a great idea, Numbuh Five," said Nigel. He reached for a candy bar from one of the boxes.

The stupid cruddy hamster made a nodding gesture, then began to nibble on the candy bar Numbuh One had given her to try.

She looked over at Wally, and suddenly began to choke. Chichi made a coughing noise, placing her paw against her forehead and actually began to sweat.

"Oh no! It _was_ poisoned!" Hoagie realized. Wally panicked.

"What did I tell you? Quick! Somebody help her spit it out!" he yelled, looking everywhere for some kind of two-by-four spitting out device.

Then, out of the blue, Abby started laughing. As if it was funny. She was soon joined by Hoagie, and then Nigel, but Wally just looked at them, confused.

"You should see the look on your face!" Abby said between laughter.

Then Chichi stopped making the choking noises and smiled, like she wasn't about to be killed by a candy bar at all. They had tricked him! Wally shot a deadly glare at everyone, then headed towards his room, muttering things that included the words "stupid" and "cruddy" a lot.

"Numbuh Four, aren't you going to eat your candy?" Hoagie asked.

"Nah," Wally answered, "You guys can have it."

He could faintly hear Abby and Hoagie arguing about who was going to have his box.

Wally sighed as he changed into his pajamas. He was going to clear the dread of the day by having a good night sleep. He climbed up his boxing ring bed. Ever since Wally found out Kuki had gone, he hadn't been feeling up to anything at all. What was wrong with him?

* * *

_"Kuki?"_

_"Hi Wally!"_

_"Kuki, what are you doing there? We've got to get back to the treehouse!"_

_"Why? I'm having so much fun here."_

_"You wouldn't understand. Don't you--"_

_"Wally?"_

_"Yes, Kuki?"_

_"Do you like me?"_

_"There's no time to answer that, Kuki. We have to leave, now!"_

_"But I don't want to."_

_"Listen--"_

_"No. I'm going to stay here forever! And you can't stop me!"_

* * *

Numbuh Four woke up from his ugly, awful dream. It was horrible. One second, he was talking to Numbuh Three, and the next, she was being sucked in by a black hole, keeping her out of his reach.

But in a matter of seconds, he had forgotten what he had dreamed of.

It was now dark, and by the way the lights were out made him realize it was already probably past midnight, and everyone should already be in their rooms, sleeping.

He tried to close his eyes for a couple of minutes and go back to sleep, but somehow, he couldn't. More than that, he didn't want to have that appalling dream again... whatever it was.

Wally walked out of his room, scanning the hallways for any signs of his team. Everything was dark and the coast was clear. He wandered through the corridors and down the staircases until he was right in front of the door that led to the outside of the treehouse.

Numbuh Four placed his hand on the doorknob, turned it, and yanked the door open.

_Don't worry, Numbuh Three, I'm comin' for ya_, he thought to himself. He ran through the streets, regardless of the fact that he still had his pajamas on.

Suddenly, Wally stopped running as he came across an intersection. Which was the way to Kuki's house??

"Aw, crud!"

* * *

**transmission interrupted/ **


	3. A Special Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own _Codename: Kids Next Door_ or any of its mentioned characters.  
Author's Note: I think this chapter is also kind of short... sorry I couldn't make it any longer. But there's going to be a chapter longer than most, and maybe it'll be the next one... I can't guarantee it, though. Please R&R, thanks for the reviews from the last chapter!

* * *

**Operation: S.E.E.K.O.U.T.**  
**S**eeing  
**E**iji  
**E**nables  
**K**nowledge  
**O**f  
**U**ncongenial  
**T**rauma

* * *

It was Day Two of Numbuh Three being temporarily gone. That meant five more days until she was back. Right?

Wally twisted and turned from his boxing ring bed, unable to close his eyes. Each time he tried to squeeze them shut, they would immediately open back up. _One more minute... just one more cruddy minute_, Numbuh Four told himself, counting down until it was his cue to wake up and have breakfast with the rest of the Kids Next Door. 

Three... two... one... 

"Finally!" 

Wally stood straight up, quickly got dressed in his usual clothes... you know, that orange hooded sweater and those jeans of his. Then, as if breakfast was his only source of life, he rushed down the hallway and arrived at the breakfast table before any of the others. 

Numbuh Four set up the table with whatever he could find in the refrigerator and cupboards for breakfast before taking a seat at the table. 

A couple of minutes later, Abigail came in, still in her robe. "Whoa," she said, gazing at the breakfast prepared right in front of her, "Numbuh Five wants to know... did _you_ do this?" 

"Why, yes I did!" Wally proudly exclaimed. 

"Good morning, Numbuh Four," Hoagie entered, "Good morning, Numbuh Five." 

"Hey Numbuh Two--check it out," said Abby, motioning for him to come closer to the breakfast table, "It seems Numbuh Four finally bought himself some batteries this mornin'!" 

Numbuh Two leaned over to see what Numbuh Five was talking about, and began to laugh along with Abby. 

Wally rolled his eyes and covered his ears with his hands. _Not again..._, he thought. But as soon as he noticed them settling down to eat their cereal, Numbuh Four let go of his ears and began to eat peacefully as well. 

He picked up the spoon and shoved the mixture of milk and cornflakes into his mouth. 

There was quite a period of silence until Hoagie interrupted. "So, Numbuh Four, what'd you do all this for?" 

Wally looked up from his breakfast, gazing at Hoagie suspiciously. What did _he_ care, anyway? 

"Nothin'," he responded. 

Abby stopped munching on her cereal and took a look at Wally. "Yeh right... you obviously did this for some reason. Numbuh Five just knows it." 

_Again! Why in cruddy tarnation do they have to care?_, Wally demanded in his thoughts. He pretended to be aloof, anyway, and turned back to his cereal bowl. 

"Wotevah." 

Nigel walked in, already smelling the scent of cereal around the room. He gazed at the table, noticing a bowl settled on top of it just for him. "Thank you, team," Numbuh One told the group, "I know I certainly deserve it, yet I appreciate all the gratitude, since I unconditionally led you through that extreme, top secret--" 

"Actually, Numbuh One, _we_ didn't do this," Hoagie disclosed. "Numbuh Four did." 

Abby nodded in agreement. 

"Oh," Nigel blushed. "Well, Numbuh Four, I appreciate your kindness. Is there anything you want in particular?" 

Numbuh Four raised his eyebrows. Then, he gradually lowered them down. "No... why would I?" 

"Because you've done something out of the ordinary this morning," Numbuh One responded. 

Wally glared at him. But slowly, he began to soften his glare. 

"Well, actually," he began to say, "There _is_ something I'd like to know..." 

"You want to know where Numbuh Three's house is," Nigel interrupted, "don't you?" 

"What?!" Wally half-shouted. How could Numbuh One say such a thing when (a) he didn't even finish his thoughts, (b) that was probably _not_ what he had in mind, and (c) uh... what did _he_ know, anyway? 

"The hidden cameras in the treehouse caught you on tape," Nigel explained. 

Wally blushed. Right, the hidden cameras! How could he have forgotten? 

"Ooh... Wally likes--ow!" Hoagie was poked in the ribs by Abby. "What was that for?" 

She gave Hoagie a quiet-down-and-let-me-do-da-talking look. Then, she shifted her gaze at Wally. 

"Numbuh Four, would you care to explain why your face is all red?" asked Abby. 

Wally's eyes widened, so he shook his head to prevent any shades of red coming back to settle on his cheeks. "Eh... well... for your _information_, I was only blushing because I, uh... I... I have chicken pox! Yeh!" 

Nigel, Hoagie, and Abby almost exploded insanely with laughter. "Sure...," said Abby sarcastically. 

Nigel let his gaze settle on Wally, trying to figure out what he truly wanted, as he stroke his chin in contemplation. "Hmm...," he expressed. 

"What is it, Numbuh One?" Hoagie wanted to know. 

Nigel raised his index finger to gesture an idea. "Well, I was thinking if Numbuh Four really wants to see Numbuh Three... then, perhaps, we could give him a little mission of his own." 

Abby and Hoagie looked amused, adjusting a small smirk on their faces. 

"Now, Numbuh Four, we all know that this is Numbuh Three's ultimate vacation, and you can't spoil anything for her," Nigel explained, "So what I'm going to have you do is spy on her. That's what you wanted to do all along, am I right? Well, you're going to need this." 

Wally watched as Nigel handed him some of the Kids Next Door weaponry; S.P.Y.K.I.T. (Super Peeking on You Kould Insert Trouble) and S.I.L.E.N.T.S. (Shoe Is Literally Entitled Neatly To Silence). 

Numbuh Four gulped. Was Nigel serious? 

"Just don't bother her, or spy on her too much, if you know what I mean," Nigel added, "You have until midnight, so take your time, all right?" 

Wally was still shocked. He narrowed his eyes at Numbuh One... he still didn't know whether he was serious or not. 

"Now go." 

Numbuh Four looked around at Hoagie and Abby's expressions. They were all unreadable, yet they seemed to share the same look that reflected Nigel's order to him. 

"A-are you sure, Numbuh One?" Wally asked once again. 

"Yes, I am sure, if that's what you want," answered Nigel. 

Wally began to stand up from the breakfast table. He looked at everyone's faces, urging him to go on... did Wally really want to do this? Did he really want to spy on Kuki? 

What if she found out about this? Or... what if Nigel and Hoagie and Abby were actually just setting him up? Why was everyone acting so strange all of a sudden? 

Maybe he shouldn't go... 

But then again, he felt like he sort of needed to.

* * *

**transmission interrupted/ **


	4. The Boy

Disclaimer: I don't own _Codename: Kids Next Door_ or any of its mentioned characters.  
Author's Note: I'm SO SORRY for taking SO LONG! I know it has been over a year... Sorry, sorry, sorry, but don't let that stop you from reading and reviewing, okay? I hope you still remember this fic and will still enjoy it. If you don't, well... I guess that's my fault for taking so long. sniffles SORRY AGAIN! You guys are the best! Thanks for being so patient and kind!

-

**Operation: S.E.E.K.O.U.T.**  
**S**eeing  
**E**iji  
**E**nables  
**K**nowledge  
**O**f  
**U**ncongenial  
**T**rauma

-

Wallabee Beatles gazed at the inky writing in the palm of his hand. It was the address Nigel gave him earlier that led to Kuki's residence. He recognized the green street sign with the letters of the street name B-R-I-G-H-T-O-N-B-L-V-D on it, which matched the exact letters written on his hand. The numbers 1254 were also posted on a shiny white plate on top of the garage door of a beige-walled house right in front of him.

It didn't look any more than an ordinary house. Yet, knowing Kuki, he would have expected more of a brighter, bizarre look.

Oh, well.

Wally looked up at the sky, telling him it was almost sunset. He walked over to the house and stared at the front door, about to ring her doorbell.

Wait--he wasn't supposed to get caught! He was supposed to _spy_ on her, not say _hi_ to her. So Wally quickly hid behind the bushes under an open window.

He first heard a penetrating scream coming from the inside of the house. Oh no! Kuki was in trouble! _I have to go save her_, thought Numbuh Four.

But then he heard something else that followed that scream.

"Those are the _best_ gifts ever! Thank you _so_ much!" came from the house. And it sounded a whole lot like Kuki's voice.

What gifts! Did her cruddy uncle give her more gifts? Numbuh Four couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. _I wonder what he must have given her_, he thought, _then maybe I could give her something better..._

Wally began to sit up from his position, spying on his teammate from her window. From what he was able to see, Numbuh Three was still in her pajamas, and the room seemed to have the environment of a kitchen. Ah, so this was the kitchen window.

Kuki was holding a pink Rainbow Monkey.

_What the?_

The "best gift ever" was a stupid Rainbow Monkey? Numbuh Three already had a million Rainbow Monkeys, and she called this gift "the best"?

_Probably just bein' polite_, guessed Wally. But something made him cringe. That was _not_ her great uncle she was saying thanks to!... Unless her great uncle was about his age. That boy looked nothing like a great uncle! He looked like a... like a kid!

He saw Kuki let go of the Rainbow Monkey and hug that boy. Who was he? What was he doing there? Perhaps he was some kind of secret spy agent working for the teenagers to help capture a Kid Next Door!

"Grr... Argh!" Numbuh Four yelled in anger as he kept thinking of the many things that boy could have been. But he blushed and sat back down as soon as he heard the boy speak.

"I thought I heard something," the guy said, pointing towards the kitchen window. Wally gulped in guilt. _I better not get caught or I'll fail this mission,_ he thought to himself.

"Oh, it's probably the wind!" Kuki exclaimed, "It's such a beautiful day. Wanna go outside?"

"Sure," the guy replied. Wally couldn't see what was going on next, since he was too busy hiding himself from Kuki's sight, but he knew he had to go somewhere else before they saw him outside.

Hearing the front door beginning to unlock, Numbuh Four opened the window and jumped inside the kitchen, landing on his feet and hands. He examined the room for any "suspicious" objects that might lead to a secret Kuki-kidnapping kind of activity, until his eyes caught something he had seen earlier.

"What's so special about that?" he whined, staring back at the pink Rainbow Monkey on the counter. He then noticed a tag on it and leaned closer.

"T-O, K-U-K... ugh," Wally complained, "I can't read this cruddy thing!"

Pulling away from Kuki's gift, he decided to open his S.P.Y.K.I.T. briefcase, getting out a pair of binoculars. Wally moved back to the kitchen window, where (with his binoculars) he could see Kuki and the other Japanese guy perfectly, hanging around at the driveway. He wasn't able to hear them, except for Numbuh Three's faint laughter, so he just watched.

After a twenty-minute lifetime of watching Kuki play tag or having a Rainbow Monkey tea party under the sun with the boy, they seemed to be getting ready to head back inside. Wally, alarmed, jumped through the window once again.

"That was so much fun!" he heard Kuki exclaim. "We should do it again tomorrow!"

Wally could feel his nose wrinkling in disgust. What was so fun about having a Rainbow Monkey tea party?

"Sure, Kuki," the boy smiled suspiciously, according to Numbuh Four, "But I know something else we could do. It's a lot of fun too."

"Oooh!" Numbuh Three hopped around anxiously. "What is it! What is it!"

Wally watched carefully as the boy disappeared for a second, then reappeared with a stereo boom box in his hands. Settling it down on the floor, he pressed a few buttons until a pop song came on, loud enough for Wally to hear. It was Britney Spears-ish with an upbeat rhythm, the type Kuki always loved to dance to.

"_Weee_!" she squealed. "A dance party! I wish Mushi were here!"

"It's okay, Kuki," the boy smiled. "Mushi is having just as much fun as we are with your great uncle."

"I know," Numbuh Three smiled back.

Wally narrowed his eyes. Who _was_ that boy? And why was he with Kuki, if he wasn't her great uncle?

Suddenly, the pop song began to fade, and a slower song came on the radio. "_This is to all you boys in love with your girls. Get her before she gets the other guy!_" said the radio DJ enthusiastically.

The sound of the piano, violin, and acoustic guitar entwined made Numbuh Four want to cringe. However, that did not stop him from watching the boy in the kitchen extend his hand to Kuki. "May I have this dance?"

Kuki giggled. "But I don't know how to dance to slow songs!"

"It's okay, I'll teach you," he smiled innocently.

_Urgh, he thinks he knows everything,_ Wally fumed. _Well, I'll show him... I'll show him that I... I can spy on him!_

"No, it's okay," Kuki grinned. "Thanks anyway."

"Oh, come on, it's fun."

"I don't think I should..."

"Why? Is it because of that blond kid?"

Wally's eyes shot up.

"What blond kid?" Kuki inquired.

"You know, that Australian boy you're always hanging out with."

Kuki blinked. "Oh, you mean Wally!"

"Yeah," the boy said. "You like him, don't you? That's why you don't want to dance with me. So that you don't hurt his feelings."

Kuki shook her head and lightly smacked the boy's shoulder. "No, silly! We're just friends!"

Wally didn't know why, but the word _friends_ made him want to cringe more than the song did.

"Well, if you're just friends, then why don't you dance with me, Kuki?" the boy pleaded. "It's not like he's watching us right now."

Wally gulped guiltily.

"Umm... okay then."

Numbuh Four watched Kuki take the boy's hand. He watched Kuki put her hand on the boy's shoulder. He watched the boy put his on her hip. He did not like the sight of it at all, but still he watched. He watched their free hand weave together, and he watched them both waltz around like a happy married kid couple.

That made him cringe more than the word _friends_ did.

He walked further from the window, further from the driveway, and further from Brighton Boulevard, back to the Kids Next Door treehouse. It had been enough spying for one day, and it had been enough cringing for one day.

-

**transmission interrupted/ **


End file.
